Active Support Training, Staff Assistance, and Engagement of Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States: Randomized Controlled Trial

Two non-U.S. quasi-experimental studies reported Active Support training was associated with increased engagement in individuals with IDD, but no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exist. We evaluated effects of Active Support training on staff assistance, and social and nonsocial engagement in 75 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in U.S. group homes. We detected no significant effects of active support training. Individuals with more skills and less challenging behavior engaged more in nonsocial activities. Younger individuals with more skills living in homes with fewer staff changes were more socially engaged. Factors associated with nonsocial engagement mirrored those reported in Qian, Ticha, Larson, Stancliffe, & Wuorio, (2015). Staffing-related implementation challenges and statistical power limited our ability to detect differences.